This week we begin a new feature hosted by one of our former contributors, Vanessa De Vargas. Vanessa operates the LA based interior and furnishings business, Turquoise, and she's returned to provide us with a weekly update about current decor trends from a professional perspective, with tips for everyday folks to incorporate these trends into their homes. Vanessa's first report brings a little bit of the outside inside the home...

We're sure many of you have read interior magazines and have noticed many designers are using outdoor fabrics for indoor upholstery. Many textile designer like LULUDK and Scalamandre are also adding unique textiles that don’t like look your typical outdoor look. When meeting with clients or having items custom done for customers the inevitable question always comes up, “How durable are these fabrics?” And with all the DIYers who love to take old pieces and making them new, we would like to suggest using outdoor fabrics for indoor upholstering. So if you live with kids and or pets, it's always a huge disappointment when you buy a new piece to find out that is not durable or stain resistant and your kids and pets have clearly made it their own!

One solution that we think is totally practical is using outdoor fabric. These fabrics are durable, are stain resistant, and if you do your research, you can find some that are fade resistant. Now with so many colors patterns and textures your typical outdoor look isn’t so outdoor any more! Linens, velvets cottons, and some poly-blends are now appropriate to use for outdoor or indoor. So what are some other ways you can use outdoor fabrics? Well, you can reupholster sofas, ottomans, kids furniture, table cloths, kitchen and dining room chairs. Drapes and shower curtains and of course outdoor furniture. We also do suggest that when you take your items in that you invest in a cover or remove them in winter or when you are not using them. They will definitely last much longer.

Some other options you may want to consider when using outdoor fabrics is using a commercial grade Velcro. Or you may want to ask your upholsterer (when using a zipper) to have the zipper wrap around the back or seat cushions so you can easily remove them when you need to have them dry cleaned. This way your not struggling to put your cushions back in the covers.

If you would like to spend a little extra dough you may want to take a look at Christopher Farr and Missoni and LULUDK which I would say is the Rolls Royce of outdoor fabrics! Of course these are sold only to the trade but can also be purchased at Patio Culture.